Stewed Lentil Vegetable Soup

This stewed lentil vegetable soup is convenient, budget friendly and full of flavor! Pair this delicious soup with a glass of wine, rustic bread, or a simple side salad and you’ve got yourself a full course meal.

Ingredients

Serves 2

1 tablespoon of olive oil

1 carrot [washed and diced ½ inch thick]

1 medium onion [chopped]

1 celery stalk [cut into ½ inch dices]

3 garlic cloves [minced]

3 bay leafs

½ cup of lentils [washed and picked over]

5 cups of vegetable broth or water [unsalted broth]

1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon of ketchup [optional]

1 teaspoon of ground cumin

1 teaspoon of paprika

½ teaspoon of black pepper

1 & ½ teaspoons of salt

Toppings

Drizzle of olive oil

Crumbled or shave parmesan or pecorino cheese

Fresh parsley or cilantro leaves

Tools

Medium pot

Spatula or wooden spoon

Strainer [to wash lentils]

Knife

Cutting board

Serving bowls

Ladle

Spoons

Preparation

Pour the olive oil into the medium pot and set over a medium high heat. Add carrots, onions, celery, garlic, bay leafs and stir until slightly translucent – this usually takes five minutes. Add lentils and mix to incorporate all of the flavors. Pour in vegetable broth or water into the pot and spice it up with ground cumin, paprika and salt; stir to combine. Turn the heat down to a medium-low and let the lentils cook with a lid on for about 30 minutes. Be sure to occasionally stir the lentils as they are being cooked. Once the lentils are cooked, add red wine vinegar, ketchup and let it cook for another five minutes. Stir and ladle the soup into your bowl. Enjoy!

Plating Style

Once your soup has been ladled into your serving bowl, drizzle the tops with a bit of olive oil and place parsley or cilantro leaves in the middle [as seen in the picture] and add crumbled or shaved cheese circling the middle and serve!

Tip – If the soup gets thick, you can add a ½ cup to another one cup of vegetable broth or water. This depends on how you want the consistency of the soup. Make sure to taste as you go, you can add more salt or spices if needed.

Tip – You can make this soup 2-3 days in advance, making sure to cool down the soup at room temperature before storing it in the fridge.